Tokyo – Shibuya Park, Afternoon,
"Huh? Are you serious? You really just returned to Japan?"
Umaru Doma sat on the park bench, her small mouth opening in surprise. She had just heard from Shirakawa Shiroha herself that she had just returned to Japan, and it was hard to believe that it was really true.
"Well… I came back not long ago," Kiyomi replied with a mysterious, teasing smile. "It seems we're classmates~"
"The school you're entering after coming back… Sobu High?" Umaru asked, tilting her head curiously.
Kiyomi nodded. "Yes. I'll start next week."
"Then we really are classmates! That means we can see each other every day!"
Kirara Hoshino chimed in, showing the two dimples that made her face even more charming.
She was excited in a simple, girlish way, feeling a wave of joy at discovering that this new friend would share her school life.
Kiyomi tilted her head thoughtfully.
"But… which grade are you in?"
Umaru frowned slightly.
"We're in second-year Class A. Kirara and I are in the same class. But as for first-year Class F…" She hesitated, her cheeks coloring. "…That is my brother's class."
"Your brother's class?"
Kiyomi's eyes widened in surprise. She blinked, trying to process the coincidence.
This fate… it was uncanny! Here she was, returning to Japan after years away, transferring into a school barely weeks ago, and the very class she was assigned to had been led by Umaru's brother!
Her admiration for the two girls soared instantly, and her originally sharp, suspicious nature softened.
"This is fate! Should we go out to dinner together tonight?"
Kiyomi asked eagerly. She couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth knowing she had found friends in this new city.
Her father was away on a business trip, leaving her in a small rented apartment with only occasional supervision, so evenings like this were precious.
"Sure… can I invite my brother too?" Umaru asked.
Kirara's eyes lit up, though her cheeks turned pink.
She remembered every time Gojo Satoru—Umaru's older brother—would gently pinch her cheek and tease her about being cute.
Kiyomi hesitated briefly, then nodded.
"Yeah, I guess that's fine. After all, I'd like to meet my new homeroom teacher anyway."
Umaru pulled out her phone to call Gojo Satoru.
She scrolled to his contact labeled 'Brother' and pressed the call button.
-Sorry, your phone has no signal. Please try again later…-
"Huh? No signal?" Umaru frowned, staring at the top-right corner of her phone.
In Tokyo, even Shibuya had full coverage—how could her brother have no signal?
ROAR!
Suddenly, a faint roar echoed through the park, almost like a distant animal scream.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The dogs being walked nearby erupted into frantic barking, their leashes tightening as they strained against their owners.
"U-um… Umaru, did you hear that?" Kirara whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
She shrank closer to Umaru, gripping the straps of her bag as if it would protect her.
"I… I heard it…" Umaru admitted, swallowing nervously.
Kiyomi's arms trembled as she wrapped them around herself, fear creeping into her pale complexion.
"N-no… it can't be a monster, right?"
"I… I think it is!" Umaru's voice shook slightly, but there was steel behind her words.
Suddenly, the world around them shifted violently.
The sky turned blood-red, buildings decayed and cracked as if centuries of neglect had finally taken their toll, and a foul stench filled the air.
"What the hell… what is this?!"
Umaru muttered, eyes wide as the landscape twisted into something horrifyingly alien.
...
Akihabara, Afternoon,
Meanwhile, Gojo Satoru sat in a café chair, nibbling on shamisen dumplings.
His mind, however, was preoccupied with thoughts of what to eat for dinner.
"This is too much… I don't know what to eat tonight. Ah, whatever… I'll just decide when I get there."
He had been smiling calmly moments ago, but suddenly his expression sharpened.
His eyes, hidden beneath his usual blindfold, squinted slightly and then widened with recognition.
(Note: He changed it after meeting Shizuka)
He had spotted Shibuya in the distance.
At the same time, the talisman he had given Umaru began to glow faintly, alerting him to danger.
His phone rang.
Frowning, Gojo glanced at the caller ID: Tokyo Yin-Yang Branch.
He answered immediately.
"This is Gojo Satoru speaking."
"Gojo-sama! There's… there's a massive disappearance incident in Shibuya!" the caller reported, panic evident in their voice.
"People have vanished within a large radius centered around the park. Even nearby residential areas have been affected. We suspect the Scourge—please, Gojo-sama, you must come immediately!"
"We've dispatched as many Onmyoji as possible, but it's not enough. You're our only hope!"
Gojo's expression darkened.
His lips pressed into a thin line. No words were necessary. The city, once bustling and lively, had become a battlefield.
He hung up and stood, his calm demeanor giving way to the familiar chill of determination.
There was no hesitation—he would head straight into the chaos.
The wilderness of Shibuya had claimed the innocent, and Gojo Satoru, the vigilant older brother and powerful Onmyoji, would descend to stop the nightmare before it spread any further.
...
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